Wireless: the next lap

One of them is Ultra-wideband, the hotly tipped successor to Bluetooth. Featuring a revolutionary method of wireless transmission, this new short-range connectivity format isn't plagued by Bluetooth's bandwidth bottlenecks, paving the way for a new style of interaction between computers, home appliances and multimedia devices.

The newly announced 802.11n, meanwhile, looks set to replace 802.11a/g/b as the main wireless option for LANs. The former's highlights are its improved feature-set and speed; with a potential throughput rate of 320Mbps, 802.11n is nearly four times faster than 802.11g and outstrips even wired Ethernet speeds.

The most intriguing technology is perhaps WiMax, a wide area networking (WAN) protocol that delivers flexible broadband connectivity over several miles. Targeted for primarily urban operation, including towns and metropolitan cities, WiMax, with its pervasive reach and universal compatibility, could prove to be the de facto wireless standard of the future.

Note: Most of these standards are either pending approval or still in very early development stages. We will keep you updated on their progress but there's a slight -- if somewhat unlikely -- chance that some of them may not get the nod for local use.

Bye, bye, Bluetooth
Future wireless multimedia-attuned products will require more bandwidth than good ol' Bluetooth can handle. Step forward Ultra-wideband, the next-generation wireless high bandwidth that delivers data 100 times faster.

WiMax? Why not?
It's faster than Wi-Fi and has a signal reach the size of a small island. No more rushing to hotspots to surf the Net.

Wi-Fi gets fast, real fast
802.11n, the successor to 802.11g, may not be surfacing anytime soon but it does offer real performance potential.